


Vapour

by ADangerousGame



Series: Mad World [4]
Category: American Horror Story, American Horror Story: Freak Show
Genre: Angst, F/M, M/M, Multi, Smut, Triggers, freaks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-15 00:47:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28679868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ADangerousGame/pseuds/ADangerousGame
Summary: Disclaimer:  I don't own American Horror Story or anyone involved in it.  I only own Madi.  This will apply throughout the entire story and series
Relationships: Jimmy Darling/Original Female Character(s), Jimmy Darling/Original Male Character(s), Jimmy Darling/Reader, Original Female Character/Original Male Character
Series: Mad World [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1129997
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own American Horror Story or anyone involved in it. I only own Madi. This will apply throughout the entire story and series

I sat in my corner, watching the children with their parents. They always looked so happy. They'd fall and mommy would come running towards them with a soft scolding on their lips and a warm kiss that could heal any wound. I recalled something similar when I was younger.

My own mother had been a beautiful woman with long blonde hair that fell in loose curls. Whenever her mint green eyes looked down at me, I felt as if I was the only thing that mattered. She'd hold me close and rocked me to sleep. I'd dream pleasant dreams when I was with her. The prince always saved the princess and they'd live happily ever after.

It was when I woke up the next morning did the nightmares begin. Without her memories, she was like a completely different person. She was vicious and violent. She'd throw thing sat me and tied to get me to leave the house. In the morning, I was a stranger to her.

For the most part, I stayed out of her line of sight, hoping that that would keep her from going into another fit of rage. It was painful watching her stumble around, looking for things at the wrong places as if even this home was a foreign place. This home that she grew up in… I had to watch as day after day, she got worse and worse.

In the afternoon, I'd be the stray she had taken in. The cookies she baked were the best. Yummy, chococlatey, gooey… Just the way I liked it. I wanted to believe that deep inside, she knew who I was, but even then, I was walking on egg shells. Anything could trigger her. 

By supper, I was her daughter again and I happily snuggled in her arms before everything repeated itself the next day. It was always the same. She'd always forget me in the morning.

Not once would she remember that by shooing me out, she'd be sending me to my death. It was painful. The light caressed my skin in false care before tearing it off my body. It'd scorch and burn. My skin would turn black and flake off and then, it'd go deeper. Layer and layer the sunlight pierced through me until I was nothing but ashes in the wind.

Sometimes, I'd be lucid enough to feel the cool air carrying me into the distance, but most of the time, I'd wake up later and find myself whole again. The only thing I'd remember was the excruciating pain.

And then, my mother would come running out to hug me, asking me where I had been all day and how careless I was to leave the house in my… condition. I had lost count of how many times she had killed me, but it was alright. It wasn't her fault. She didn't remember – she didn't know.

Soon, she knew nothing at all. The tumour in her head had finally killed her. I was young, alone, and with no means of supporting myself. The only thing I could think of that I could do was ask the ladies of the night to teach me their trade, but I was still too young for any of them to even be convinced that I was worth investing a second of their time to help. I somehow managed to survive in the house for two more years before the taxes and utilities became too much. I was chased out of my home. They took everything that I ever owned and I was left on the streets with nothing but the clothes on my back and a locket I managed to stuff into my pocket without them seeing. 

It was a looping torture. Every morning, I'd die and every night, I'd come back. Sometimes, all I did was sleep until I was to die, again, because it was the only way to lessen the pain. It wasn't until another homeless man took pity on me did the cycle stop. I kept the blanket around me at all times. Nothing would steal it away from me because it was literally my life line.

Not long after, the town was used to me squatting in my usual alley. It was dark and filthy . The only people who'd care were the ones tossing their trash. One particular family always gave me their leftovers. It was the only way I was able to survive without stealing and I think that was one of the reasons why were so kind to me, but they were an obvious exception – a blessing.

It was normal for people to stop and stare. They may be used to me, but that didn't mean that they wouldn't treat me like a common animal in a zoo. Whenever they whispered, they thought I couldn't hear them. They thought I couldn't understand them. Some would even throw rocks at me to try to rile up a reaction, but I was already too numb to it all. It was only when they tried to pull my blanket away did I fight back. And then, I was really nothing better than an animal. Several times, I'd get the police checking up on all the commotion. Sometimes, I got complaints that I… _attacked_ one of the… _spectators_. Short of killing me, the police couldn't do much, but I didn't know for how long. I had heard of what those _law enforcers_ had done behind closed doors. It wasn't a very well-kept secret, after all.

"Mommy! Mommy! Who's that?"

I looked up to see a single, young girl standing in front of my alley. She was gawking at me as if she had seen a ghost. It wasn't an unreasonable assumption for young children. I knew that I was unusually pale from the lack of sun exposure, but it still wasn't alright. I was so sick and tired of this.

"Melly, don't say that!" her mother hissed, but I could see her own judging eyes on me. Her words were right, but I knew what she was thinking. Her thoughts were not unlike everyone else's. "Come on, now."

"But, mommy! She's a freak!" the girl continued on, obliviously. Her voice was loud enough to carry down the block, attracting more attention.

"Melly, we're going home, right now!" Her mother casted worried glances at me as if I was going to sprung up from my spot and eat them alive. I wondered what they'd do if I took off my blanket in broad daylight and burned in front of them. But then, I'd lose my blanket and that wouldn't have been worth it for that split second of satisfaction. 

I stayed in my alley, trying my best to ignore everything and one day, no one came to the park anymore. Anyone who was out scurried along as if they were going to be shot down at any moment. Their paranoia made me paranoid. What was I missing? Was there going to be a tornado? Flash flood? Poisonous gas?! Were the Germans coming back?

For days, I wondered why everyone was so on edge. It was as if an alien had possessed them all overnight, but that wasn't it. When I first saw him, I knew exactly why they were living in such fear.

His face was whiter than mine and his mouth was covered by a mask – painting a permanent, demented smile that matched his eyes. He was dressed like a clown, but resembled a psychopath.

He stared at me from across the street and I couldn't help but keep my eyes on him for fear that he was going to run towards me with a knife. I knew I was being a hypocrite, but those red stains on his face, it looked like _blood_.

Eventually, I shifted my eyes away – only very briefly – but when I looked back, he was already gone. I spent the next hour fearing that he was going to peek his head around the corner, but that never happened. I was being silly, but needless to say, I slept with one eye open that day.

When night fully fell, I was on the move. The raggedy blanket swished around my legs as I hurried away. I didn't feel safe in my corner anymore. I kept feeling those eyes on me, burning almost as hot as the sun.

I walked and walked. My steps quickened and not long after, I was running as fast as I could. I ran and ran until the town was completely behind me. The fields became barren, the road uneven, but I even then, I kept going. I didn't stop until tiny dots of light met my eyes. They were stung up on poles and a scatter of tents blocked my path. The lights were dim as if they were only on to ward off unwanted visitors. Was this some kind of travelling circus? UI had never heard of them before. What if the clown came from here? Had I just walked right into the lion's den? 

With that startling thought, I quickly turned around to leave when I hit a wall that hadn't been there before. My eyes stared at the bottom hem of the red blouse and moved up to see the tallest woman I had ever laid my eyes upon. Her brown hair was tied neatly behind her head in a very strict manner. She didn't exactly appear angry, but she didn't look happy either. 

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

I took a step back in fear. If she wanted to, I was sure that she could rip me in two with her bare hands. Would that be more painful than burning in the sun?

"Well?" Her muscles flexed threateningly before me.

"I – I…" I looked around. Maybe I was faster than her. I ducked down and tried to get around her looming form, but one long arm stretched out and snatched me up before I was able to even move a step away. My feet dangled in the air, kick around but finding no purchase. 

My tiny stature had always been a problem, but I never thought I'd end up in a situation like this. "Let me go!" I shouted. It was no use. 

"What is going on here?" A German drawl met my ears. I turned to see an older woman clad in a pink robe glare at me in annoyance. "Who on Earth are you?"

"Let me go!" I repeated. "I was just going to leave! I took a wrong turn and ended up here. I'm sorry, alright? I didn't mean to trespass… I just…" I just needed a place to go, but it was obvious this wasn't it. "I just want to go…"

She looked at me long. With a scoff, she walked up to me. "Look at you… pale as a ghost!" Her soft hand ran down my cheek. "Some kind of defect?"

I shook my head. No, but that was a direct correlation because of my… defect. 

She huffed. "Let her go, but don't ever let me see you, again," she spat.

Needless to say, the moment the giantess let me go, I had scrambled away with no thoughts of ever returning. It came to no surprise to me that the clown, too, had come from this dysfunctional group. 

…

"What was that?" A curly haired man stepped out of his tent, staring at the back of the form covered by an old, brown blanket. The figure was small. His first thought was that of a young female, but with the people he lived with, it could've been anyone. "Who's that?"

Elsa rolled her eyes. "Just another stray who thought that we give out free food and board. Not going to happen here." With that, she turned back into her trailer, leaving him with Amazon Eve who merely shrugged in return. 

He turned back to stare off into the distance even when the stranger had long since disappeared into the darkness. There was just this nagging feeling that he couldn't brush away, as if someone was calling out to him. It stirred something below his belt and gripped his heart in its disembodied hands. It felt as if he had missed something that night – something important.


	2. Chapter 2

I wandered up and down the streets, feeling restless. There was nowhere for me to go and a murderous-looking clown was on the loose. Or was there? Had I possibly imagined the entire thing? I hadn't seen him around for several days. Perhaps the police had finally caught him. Surely, it couldn't be that difficult looking for someone dressed like _that_.

My pace calmed as I tried to convince myself that the town was safe – that I was safe. Why wouldn't I be? I was a nobody and I had lived here all my life. That wasn't going to change, now. With a nod to myself, I finally slinked back into my corner to observe the couple at the park. They were having a picnic. 

It looked nice having someone to love you – to hold you. I closed my eyes, wondering if that was every going to be a possibility for me.

Unlikely.

I was a homeless freak with no redeeming features.

"Hey."

I jumped and looked at the stranger staring back at me. He had a friendly smile and dressed like someone who came from money. He was the complete opposite of me.

"Hi," I whispered back, wondering what he wanted.

He walked in, stopping in front of me and made to remove my blanket from my head, but I quickly ducked and pulled it tighter around me.

"Hey, I'm not here to hurt you." His tone was light. "Do you need money?" He thrust a five dollar bill in front of me and I resisted the urge to snatch it up. "Twenty? A hundred?"

I stared at the notes as he continued to pile them on to his outreached hand. Swallowing hard, I turned my head away. He had to want something. No one was that generous.

"No? How about a meal? My treat. You can keep the money, too."

I opened my mouth to decline, but a loud growl permeated the alley. I pressed a hand on my traitorous stomach, glaring down at the disobedient organ.

"We can go to the café nearby. Give me a chance to get to know you." His words were all right, but something about him was just… wrong.

My eyes shifted over to the couple who had already disappeared before looking back at the handsome man with the friendly smile. Maybe it was just me. Maybe this was a chance for a life I always wanted.

Finally, I conceded.

I kept the cover over my head as he tried fruitlessly to engage me into a conversation. Eventually, he babbled on about himself and how much he hated his servant, Dora.

When we arrived at the café, I sank down with a happy sigh. The seat were made from cheap plastic, but it was definitely an upgrade from the hard cement that had a permanent imprint of my body.

He allowed me to order anything and I greedily listed off half the menu. While I was distracted, he tugged my safety blanket off my head and I gasped in surprise.

My matted brown hair tumbled out in dirty clumps and I gaped at him as if he had just shot me.

There was a note of disappointment when he saw me and I quickly looked away to hide the hurt. I didn't know what he was expecting, but I definitely wasn't it. Did he really think that he was going to find some model-like lady beneath all the ugly? Did he think I was some hidden gem to be polished and made pretty? 

"Y-you look so… _normal_ ," he muttered under his breath. "Look at me." He forcefully grabbed on to my chin to face him. "You're all filthy and pale, but nothing _freakish_! There's absolutely nothing special about you!"

I jerked away. "What do you even want from me? I'm not going to be kept like a pet for you to gawk at if that's what you're thinking!"

He glared. "No one would want to look at you, anyway."

I was unafraid to glare back and when the waitress returned with my drink, I threw it at him and stormed away, lifting the blanket to cover my head, once more. I didn't need him to tell me how worthless I was. I already knew. 

It didn't matter that he had a pretty face and a lot of money. He was a disgusting human being who thought he could get a laugh from my appearance. It seemed that I wasn't normal enough to live with and not strange enough to gawk at. What an odd world…

When I walked by my alley, someone suddenly called out to me. It was the nice family's daughter. I had never really spoken to her before and she never showed any interest in me, either. Needless to say, I was surprised by the welcoming invitation into her home.

"I – I don't think I should…" I looked nervously around. As nice as they were, I had never been invited into the house and I didn't want to intrude. 

"Come on!" she giggled, tugging me in. "My parents aren't here. It's just my sister and my friends. We're having a party and I thought you should join, too! Aren't you hungry?"

The scent of food had permeated the room. Since the trip to the diner had gone so poorly, I hadn't even had a bite to eat. I lamented how all of it was going to be wasted. That could've lasted me days! Weeks!

"Sit!" She pushed me down on to a cute, white wooden chair. "Luna, help me get the plates!" she shouted to her sister who had been whispering to a group of young women.

I saw all the curious glances my way and the chorus of giggles that followed. What were they playing at? I didn't want to think the worst of such a nice family, but I didn't know these people. 

"Here! We baked these cookies. I hope you like them!" Both sisters were standing in front of me with their hands extended.

I looked at the plates offered and tentatively slid one off the white, porcelain plate. The cookie looked normal enough. I took a bite. They were crunchy. 

"Why do you always cover your head?" Luna asked, gently tugging at the blanket, but not enough for it to fall off.

I shrugged. "It's the only thing I own," I told them. "I don’t want to lose it." It had some form of truth in it and definitely more believable than the real reason.

Luckily, they accepted the reply and I was allowed to quietly nibble the pastry while they conversed amongst themselves. It wasn't as if I wasn't enjoying myself. I loved how this quaint house felt. It was warm with food to satisfy my belly and it had _life._ Being alone for so long just didn't help with my social problems. I wanted to join in on their conversation and laugh with them, but I didn't know how. I only understood half of the topics they were going on about and what I heard didn't peak my interest. I didn't know or care about the neighbour boy or one of their brothers. It wasn't as if they'd know me, either, or even want to know me.

"Whew!"

I jumped when a door slammed open and another woman stumbled out with a dreamy look on her face.

"Wow! You guys were right! He may be a freak, but that was amazing!" she sighed, joining the group who immediately bombarded her with questions. "It's too bad those things are there. He has a very handsome face. I could stare at it all day."

"Hey, why don't you give it a try, too?" someone asked me, a mischievous grin on her face.

Before I was able to respond, the blanket was ripped off me and two women were tugging at my hair with brushes. They took all the tangles off, but nothing would help how dirty it was. The strands clumped together unattractively and balls of dust and grime were visible.

"Here." I had a few notes stuffed into my hands. I looked at it in amazement. "Just go in there and give it to him. He'll know what to do." I couldn't believe that I had twenty dollars in my hands and they wanted me to give it away. I also couldn't believe that I was actually shuffling my feet towards the room with the opened door.

The bill felt heavy in my hands. I never even got to touch what the other man offered. I should've taken it while I could. Obviously, he didn't need it, but what about this guy?

Who was he? Why was I paying him? Was he going to give me something in return?

I bit my lips and took a step into the dim room. It was a stark contrast to the sitting space where bright lamps were lit and the conversation was light.

In here, I felt as if the room was pressing itself against me. There was a musky scent that made my nose crinkle and I nearly didn't notice the tall figure standing by the window. Half of his face was shrouded by shadows casted by the setting light piercing through the lacy curtains.

What I could see illuminated was a young man with short curly hair and deep, dark eyes. He looked to be observing me as I was observing him. Neither of us seemed to be expecting the other.

"H-here." I thrust my hand out, offering the money that I wasn’t keen to let go of, but curiosity had gotten the best of me. I wasn't going to miss those bills for long. They weren't even mine to begin with.

He stepped forward to accept it. Not once did we break eye contact. It was as if I couldn't even if I wanted to. Something about him made my heart race and my thoughts mould into incoherent voices. 

When he raised his hand, I noticed that they were covered by large, black gloves. Slowly, he took the money from me and stuffed it into his pocket. "Thank you."

I gulped. His voice was smooth like silk. And when he took another step towards me, I backed away. Why was he here?

He frowned. "Why are you here?" he asked, subconsciously hiding his hands behind his back. "Are you going to stand there and stare at me? Are you going to laugh at me?"

I shook my head. To be honest, I didn't know what I was going to do at all. I had gone with their plans and ended up here. 'A-are they trapping you here?" That seemed to be the only rational explanation in my head, but by the incredulous look on his face, I was obviously mistaken. 

"You really don't know why you're here or who I am?" He had his eyes narrowed and his arms crossed over his lean chest.

I looked away, shaking my head.

'Well, I’m not giving the money back," he said. "So you can either stay for the experience or leave now. It doesn't make a difference to me."

"What kind of experience?" I blurted out before I could stop myself. Had that woman also experienced it? She had come out with what seemed like an almost drunken smile. They weren't doing drugs, were they? That was definitely not something I was going to try.

He advanced towards me until my back was against the wall. "Close your eyes," he murmured.

Hesitantly, I did as I was told. "What are you going to do?" My heart banged against my chest.

"Shh…" he hushed me.

My worn shirt was easy to remove. The cool air brought a shiver through my body, but it was nothing compared to the fleshy appendage that ran down from my cleavage to my navel. My eyes popped open and I stared at the odd digits in shock. His hands were grotesque as if they had melted together to form two claws. 

When I shifted my eyes to his, again, I noticed how still he was as if waiting for my reaction. "Do you want me to stop?" He began to move his hand away and when I noticed how the warmth quickly disappeared with him, I shook my head. "Are you sure? I don't want to be known for forcing women to…"

"No, keep going," I whispered, gently taking his hand and brought it back to my chest, shivering as our skin touched.

He pulled me away from the wall and when I tumbled into his arms and against his torso, I could hear his heart race. Was mine just as loud? Could he hear it, right now?

In another second, I was thrown on to the bed. He tugged at the hem of the skirt and leaned back. I was staring at him with wide eyes. "Are you going to…?"

"If you want me to," he replied, gliding his hand up my thighs. I didn't stop him even when he stopped on top of my cotton underwear. My heart felt as if it as going to burst out from my chest, but I kept still.

The appendage hooked aside the thin piece of fabric before fingering my mound. I suppressed a shudder. What was keeping me still? This should've been enough to send me screaming – send anyone screaming, but I wanted more.

My hips buckled and I let out a moan of pain and pleasure when the thick digit entered me. I had never been touched there before and all the horror stories mother used to tell me about it all came rushing back. He had just punctured me – left a hole that would never heal – and I was most likely bleeding everywhere. Would I die of blood loss?

But when he pulled out abruptly as if realising what had just happened, I felt… disappointed. I wanted to feel him back inside me, so I reached up and pulled him down by the collar of his shirt. He fell atop of me with a startled, "Oof!"

"You're a virgin!" he quietly exclaimed as if I didn't know. "I shouldn't be…"

"It's fine," I reassured him. "It doesn't really hurt anymore." There was just a dull ache left behind from the pain, but a new flame was lit. I didn't want him to stop there. I wanted more. "Please…"

Whatever he saw in my eyes gave him the courage to continue. He teased my folds and slid the bottom claw inside me while the top rubbed against a sensitive bundle of nerves that left me a moaning mess beneath him.

"You're so beautiful," he groaned, brushing back my hair. "You're not like the other girls."

I whimpered when he quickened his pace. Nothing would make me understand why he made me feel this way.

His pelvis ground against me while he continued to thrust with his hand.

I let out a cry and shook my head from side to side as I was taken off guard by the wave of liquid pleasure bursting in my body. I never wanted to leave this position. I wanted to feel this forever with him. 

He sighed, rubbing against me one last time and got off. He opened his mouth and was about to say something, but the sound of giggling met our ears.

"I think he actually came!" one of the girls squealed.

"I knew freaks belonged with freaks!" Allina laughed along. "He must finally be happy to find someone like him!"

My face lit up when I realised what had happened. This was all a trick. I knew nothing good happened whenever someone pretended to be nice to me. 

I quickly collected my clothes and threw them on. "Did you know?" I stared at him. My lips trembled and my eyes were red from the sheer will of keeping the ears in. "Did you?!"

"I… I…"

I shook my head and ran, pushing past the gaggle of girls who all pointed and laughed.

…

Jimmy gaped at the girl who left like a whirlwind. He donned on his gloves and glared angrily at the women who were dressed like ladies, but behaved like hyenas. "Don't even bother calling me, again," he snarled.

When he left the house, he tried to spot the tiny brunette, but she was already long gone. With a sigh, he threw his leg over his motorcycle and made his way back home.

He couldn’t stop thinking about her. She had looked at him with an innocence that was foreign to him. It was naïve like Meep or Pepper. It was full of curiosity and the desire to explore what more the world had to offer, but she was still untouched.

All the other ladies were a lot more experienced than any of them would like to admit. He could still remember how she smelled,. It was so overwhelming, covering up the musk that was left behind by the others. Sure, there had been a layer of dirt that dampened her natural scent, but he could still feel it linger in his nose. It was something else. Something delectable. 

His hand twitched. She was so soft. And although she had the same look of shock and even disgust, she had pulled him back towards her and accepted him. She saw and accepted the ugly that was his very being.

He shook his head. No, normal girls like her didn't like freaks like him. She was most likely just fascinated with his stupid birth defect. She was the same as everyone else.

With that, he felt his heart slow back down to a more manageable rate. That was right. She was just like everyone else with her pretty face and pretty friends who all talked behind her back. What did she even know about the pain that he had to go through?

He snarled after parking his motorcycle and kicked the ground angrily. For a moment, he thought they had some kind of connection, but it was all foolishness.

"What's wrong, Jimmy?" he heard the soft voice of Bette ask him. Her sister, Dot, was also looking at him with concern. The conjoined twins were the newest addition to the group. They were nice enough and he knew that he would put his life on the line for them, but as much as he tried, he couldn't concentrate long enough to hold a conversation with them.

"I'm fine," he curtly replied. "Don't worry about me. It's just been a long day."

"Oh… okay…" Bette looked down.

"We're here if you need someone to talk to," Dot gave him a small smile.

He flashed them a grin before hurrying away to finish himself off in privacy.

He really hated her, right now.


	3. Chapter 3

My face was still flushed in horror even after the house was no longer visible. I had run as far as my breath would last me and didn't even have a chance to grab my blanket. I was glad that the sun had set enough and only patches of light still filtered through the shadows.

By the time I stopped in the middle of the park, I was convinced that I was going to have a heart attack. The muscle was working over time, pounding violently in my chest. All the blood was rushing to my head and my vision became dotted with black. It didn't help that there was a foreign ache between my legs that was a constant reminder of what I had done.

Eventually catching my breath, I slid down to my knees and curled up into a ball. I couldn't believe that I had been so stupid. I allowed the girls to lure me into a false sense of security.

And through everything, I still couldn't stop thinking about him. His hands were indeed grotesque, but they didn't define who he was. He was kind and gentle. Something about him drew me in and I was utterly afraid of what they would mean for me.

I sighed and fell on to my back. The grass was soft as they brushed against me. It was a very nice night out. The moon felt wonderful on my skin and I could see the stars twinkling back at me. I just wasn't excited for the morning to come.

_"You must protect yourself,"_ my mother had warned me. _"You are always number one priority."_ She'd repeat this often and I had tried my best to follow it, but what a wonderful job I had done so far…

That night, I couldn't sleep. I stared at the sky, wondering exactly why I had given myself to him. He had been an absolute stranger… Was it just the need to be accepted? Had I been so desperate for approval that I allowed myself to behave like a common harlot?

I choked back tears as all the emotions came crashing together. From the encounter with the man and the café to the stranger in the bedroom, it has all gone so horrible wrong.

What would mother think of me, now?

I threw my head back and laughed. When I turned to the side, I Saw him staring at me, again. The demented smile was still painted on its ghastly face. His blade glinted dangerously in the moonlight.

He never moved even when I continued to stare at him or even stumble on to my feet. "Well?! Aren't you going to come at me? I’m right here! Come on! _Kill me!"_ I screamed. My arm was thrust to the side, leaving me completely vulnerable. "Why do you keep staring at me? Leave me alone!" I screamed until he tilted his head and for a moment, I thought he was really going to take me up on the offer.

I waited, panting in frustration. His eyes remained fixated on me for a moment longer before he turned and simply walked away.

_He walked away._

I wasn't even worth the time to be killed… I shook my head in disbelief.

The sun really couldn't come long enough. I had no sleep that night. Instead, I stared towards the east and happily greeted my murderer. For a split second, the warmth was wonderful, but it didn't take long for the agony to begin. It mercilessly ripped me apart.

When the pain stopped, I was floating weightlessly in the air. It felt like falling asleep and dreaming after pulling several all-nighters. The relief was indescribable. 

I sighed, happily allowing the wind to carry me wherever it wanted. I seemed to be nowhere, yet everywhere at once. As much as I hated my curse, this was actually quite pleasant. If only it was always like this. Most of the time, I'm instantly brought back to Earth, completely naked and scrambling for scraps to cover myself up. The only immediate memory would be the agony of being turned to ash.

At least now, I was able to relax if only for a short moment.

_SCREEEEEEEECH!_

My eyes snapped open and I felt a bruising pain slam into my hips. Is tumbled back, gasping and wondering where the sudden pain had come from. It didn't usually return so quickly.

"Oh, my God!" I heard a horrified woman scurry towards me on her heels. "Oh, my dear. Are you okay?"

I blinked at the stars that were still twinkling at me. Sometimes, I felt like a star that just kept burning. Would I finally go out, one day, soon? Would I be happy to finally find peace?

"We haven't killed her, have we?" she fretted.

"You were the one driving, mother," a bored voice droned. It sounded familiar. "You would be the murderer. There's really no _we_ in it."

A thin woman bent over me. Only one eye reflected the light. The other was off-coloured and dull. "Are you okay, dear?"

The next moment, I stared at the man who had been so rudely shouting at me the day before. "It's you." He wasn't shouting this time. No, there was a fascinated spark in his eyes as if he had finally found what he was looking for. "You _are_ special! I knew my instincts couldn't be wrong!"

I said nothing as he happily went on.

"Dandy, let's get the poor girl some clothes first. She's naked!" Indeed, I wonder what they were thinking, right now. Here there was a naked girl who appeared out of nowhere and unfortunately right in front of their car.

"Yes, mother. Let's bring her back and give her clothes – food, too. I'm sure she's absolutely _famished_." he gleefully added.

I was about to refuse, but he was already hulled me to my feet and stuffed me into the backseat of their car. It smelled overwhelmingly of cologne that burned my nostrils.

My nose crinkled with distaste. It was difficult to even breathe normally. I was glad when the car finally stopped. We had arrived at a very beautiful, gated home.

Even in the dark, I could tell that the garden was perfectly done. The concrete was smooth beneath my bare feet as I was led into the home.

"Stay right there while Dora fetches you a nice, clean set of clothes" The woman scurried about while Dandy continued to stare as if I was nothing but a zoo animal. "Dora! Get my old clothes from the attic!" She, then, turned back towards me, wrung out her hands, and snatched up a thin robe from the couch to place around me. It was a rich burgundy and smelled exactly like the man beside me. 

"You look a lot cleaner than yesterday," he mused. He made no attempts at being discreet as he leered up and down my body.

I held back a disgusted shudder. It was one of the only perks of being burnt alive. All the filth gets burnt with me. I couldn't wait to burn his scent off me, as well.

"Now, I know we – I mean, I – hit you with a car, but you're alright, aren't you?" the mother went on obliviously. "I really don't want law enforcements to get involved. Do you want money? Food? Clothes? Jewels? Anything?"

"How about a job?" Dandy suggested with a smirk.

I narrowed my eyes, but before I could even say anything to refute it, the mother was already gushing at the idea. "You're so clever, Dandy. Do you want a job, here? You should stay in case of any injuries that you find alter. Dora can always use the help. It _is_ a very big house, you know."

"I – "d I stared at them dumbfounded. Where these people for real? I suddenly felt as if I was in one of those ridiculous comedies that mother used to watch.

"Here are the clothes, Gloria." Dora came in with her maid uniform. Her skin was a stark contrast to the other two and her face was stern as she observed me, but at least she hadn't gone on to worshipping Dandy, yet. That was always a good sign.

"Get her a set of your old uniforms, too! We're going to have new help!" Gloria rejoiced without hearing my protests.

Dora sighed and nodded. "Come on, I might as well show you around, now." I quickly scurried over to her, relieved to finally be away from the other two. For a moment, I thought I was going to lose my sanity.

"Are they… always like that?" I quietly inquired, hoping that I wasn't going to offend her.

She gave me an appraising look and surprisingly seemed to like what she saw. "Unfortunately, Gloria's spoiled the brat rotten. Gave him everything he ever wanted and now, he won't' listen to a word anyone says. He lays around doing who knows what all day and never even tries to do anything productive." She went on even when I entered the bathroom to change. The dress was old, but felt soft and luxurious. It was no doubt very expensive and I was afraid that the trailing hem was going to snag and rip.

I stepped out and Dora suppressed a laugh. 'You're as tiny as a child. We're not going to have anything that will fit you here."

"I… I really don't want to stay here, D-Dora," I confessed. Would she help me? I really only needed a moment to escape. "I'm not hurt or anything. You can tell them that they don't have to worry about me reporting them." I really had no intentions of doing so. There was far too many complications with that.

She raised an eyebrow at me. "No? Well, that's good to hear. You don't know how many people would jump at the chance of gaining even a fraction o the Mott's fortune. Although, maybe you're just smart and you know that they'll kill you before they'll really part with their money."

"I swear, I just want to go… And maybe take a thin blanket with me. I lost my old one…" I dreaded over dying every morning again until I found another safety blanket.

She stopped in her tracks to turn to me. "How about this, I'll tell Gloria that you have a job elsewhere, but you won't mind staying for a few days as compromise, just to settle her worry heart. I'll even give you an old blanket that Dandy doesn’t' want, anymore." She rolled her eyes with an irritated sigh. "He hasn't even touched it since his mother gave it to him five years ago. Apparently, the shade of red wasn't quite right."

My face split into a happy grin. "Yes! That sounds wonderful! Thank you!" I jumped to hug her and was delighted to feel her gently wrap her arms around me. She was warm and motherly!

"Alright. Stop this nonsense, now. I have work to do and Dandy will probably want this tossed after someone else has worn it."

"No, I don't." I froze when I heard his voice from the end of the hall. "IN fact, why don't you give it to me, now? I'd like to keep it safe." He strolled over in several large strides, plucked the robe from Dora, and gave it a deep sniff. "Yes, I'll take that off your hand, now." He turned to me and wrinkled his nose. "We'll need to get you something else to wear. Mother's fashion style I just so dreary. Why don't we go tomorrow morning?"

My eyes widened and I shook my head. "No need. I don't mind this. It's very comfy."

"And doesn't suit you, at all. We'll go tomorrow."

And that was that.

Dora was right, he didn't listen to anyone and it was disconcerting that Gloria only seemed to listen to her son. Was the maid going to be able to get me out of this situation? This place really wasn't that far from the park. I didn't want them to find me again if I ran away. Where was I going to go?

"Come along, then." Dora briskly dragged me away from Dandy who still had the silly grin on his face. I could feel his dark stare burn into the back of my head. "That boy is all bark and no bite. There's really no need to be scared of him, at all. When his mother isn't around, I make sure to try to teach him some proper manners, but he's as dense as a rock."

I chanced a look over my shoulder. He was still there and even gave me a small, mocking wave. The glint in his eyes made me shudder. He definitely didn't seem harmless. In fact, I was sure that the way he stared at me was almost reminiscent to the demented clown, but even it didn’t' make me feel this way.

Dora showed me to a well-kept guest room and left to talk to Gloria about my situation. The room was absolutely stunning – spacious and soft. The walls were pastel with the low glow of a lamp in the corner for illumination. Before I even sat on the bed, I knew I was going to love and miss it. 

I walked over to the mahogany desk and fingered the notepad and pen. The book was empty and I figured that it was meant for the guests to make use of it, so I sat down and began to write.

It had been so long since I last took pen to paper and my writing was atrocious, but slowly, I was able to make it legible. The letters were all slanted in different directions, something resembling a child's writing. I hated it, so I kept going until the letters were more recognisable and I was satisfied with what I wrote for the day.

I turned off the lamp and crawled into the oversized bed, lavishing in how it felt against my skin. It glided like water and almost weightless as I comfortably settled with my head on the fluffy pillow. 

As my consciousness began to fade, I could feel his hands on me, again. Those mutated digits was like a magic wand. They bespelled me until I was nothing but a puddle of goo that wrapped so blissfully around them.

If only he had felt the same way.

I turned to my side when the sinking feeling tugged at my stomach, again. There was finally someone I liked who would only use me for money…

Had he laughed the hardest when I left? Was it a good joke for him? That moment may have meant nothing to him, but it was something I was never going to forget. Maybe I could get a bit of money from this family to go to another town, just enough for transportation. I didn't want them after me.

The door suddenly creaked open and I froze. Was someone inside or was I dreaming? The bed dipped and an arm wrapped around my waist. I felt him take a deep breath before letting out a satisfied hum. "I know you're not asleep," I heard him whisper into my ears.

I resisted the urge to pull away, but I was also afraid of what he was going to do to me if I did that.

"If you want to play it that way… I guess you'll have no choice but to listen to what I have to say," he purred. "I heard what you were saying to that bitch. You're never going to leave here and I'll make you see that you'll enjoy living here." He pulled me closer and his cologne was making it difficult to breathe evenly. 

"I know what I saw. I saw you appear out of nowhere in front of the car. I knew you were special the moment I saw you and I should never have doubted myself."

I bit my lips to keep from cussing him out. Doubted himself? He was atrociously rude then and creepy, now!

When he pressed even closer to me, I half expected to feel a familiar bulge similar to the man with the hands, but there was nothing impressive with what I came in contact with. He was either tiny or not sexually aroused by any aspect of me. Or perhaps… he was impotent. That would explain all the things he was overcompensating for. I gleefully accepted the latter as the cause and tried to relax myself enough to fall asleep.

Eventually, I managed to ignore the extra presence in the bed and even successfully imagined that he was my cruel mystery man.

I had a dream full of hands on my body. They were all deformed – merged as if there were only two fingers and a thumb. His dark, lustful eyes pierced into my own as I willingly gave myself to him.

The cruel laughter remained in the background to taunt me, but I ignored it. I couldn’t deny the attraction between us. I needed to feel him, again.

I needed…

I needed.

I let out a shriek of pain as it ripped through my face.


End file.
